Turk J Med Sci
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We aimed to investigate the topical application of mitomycin-C (MMC) after the conventional tracheostomy in a rabbit model. ⋯ Wound healing modulation may prevent scar formation. Fibrosis decreased following tracheostomy in the group treated with MMC. Fibroblasts appear to be key cells mediating these effects.
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Review Historical Article
Emerging and reemerging respiratory viral infections up to Covid-19
Infectious diseases remain as the significant causes of human and animal morbidity and mortality, leading to extensive outbreaks and epidemics. Acute respiratory viral diseases claim over 4 million deaths and cause millions of hospitalizations in developing countries every year. ⋯ Currently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is determined as an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan. Herein we discuss emerging and reemerging respiratory viral infections till to SARS-CoV-2.
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This special issue of the Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences is dedicated to providing scientific advances in the process of better understanding the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 infection. The special issue is published in a special time in which science-based approaches, cocreation-based collaboration, and the effective utilization and integration of competences have a crucial role during the race against time while combating the COVID-19 pandemic. In this process, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), which publishes academic journals including the Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences, has taken rapid action to mobilize the research community. ⋯ The sharing of evidence-based knowledge and scientific progress is an effective approach towards providing important contributions for combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The research articles that are contained in this special issue of the Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences involves a special collection dedicated to COVID-19. This short communication aims to provide an introduction of the major initiatives that have been taken in the scientific landscape with a focus on Turkey.
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In the Wuhan Province of China, in December 2019, the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a severe involvement of the lower respiratory tract leading to an acute respiratory syndrome. Subsequently, coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) provoked a pandemic which is considered a life-threatening disease. The SARS-CoV-2, a family member of betacoronaviruses, possesses single-stranded positive-sense RNA with typical structural proteins, involving the envelope, membrane, nucleocapsid and spike proteins that are responsible for the viral infectivity, and nonstructural proteins. ⋯ Regretfully, the exact pathophysiology and treatment, especially for the severe COVID-19, is still uncertain. The results of preliminary studies have shown that immune-modulatory or immune-suppressive treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 antagonists, commonly used in rheumatology, might be considered as treatment choices for COVID-19, particularly in severe disease. In this review, to gain better information about appropriate anti-inflammatory treatments, mostly used in rheumatology for COVID-19, we have focused the attention on the structural features of SARS-CoV-2, the host immune response against SARS-CoV-2 and its association with the cytokine storm.
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Coronaviruses (CoVs) cause a broad spectrum of diseases in domestic and wild animals, poultry, and rodents, ranging from mild to severe enteric, respiratory, and systemic disease, and also cause the common cold or pneumonia in humans. Seven coronavirus species are known to cause human infection, 4 of which, HCoV 229E, HCoV NL63, HCoV HKU1 and HCoV OC43, typically cause cold symptoms in immunocompetent individuals. The others namely SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus), MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) were zoonotic in origin and cause severe respiratory illness and fatalities. ⋯ This virus was officially identified by the coronavirus study group as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the present outbreak of a coronavirus-associated acute respiratory disease was labelled coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). COVID-19’s first cases were seen in Turkey on March 10, 2020 and was number 47,029 cases and 1006 deaths after 1 month. Infections with SARS-CoV-2 are now widespread, and as of 10 April 2020, 1,727,602 cases have been confirmed in more than 210 countries, with 105,728 deaths.